Colleen Clery Ferrell Captures First-Round Victory to Advance in Women’s 50 Division

Written by: Staff on 14th May 2012

Colleen Clery Ferrell Captures First-Round Victory to Advance in Women’s 50 Division |

La Jolla, Calif. – (May 14, 2012) – Sometimes it takes a tennis player a little while to find their rhythm in a tennis match regardless of what level they may be playing.

In Monday’s first-round action at the United States Tennis Association National Senior Women’s Hard Court Tennis Championships, unseeded Colleen Clery Ferrell of San Diego got off to a slow start against Kimberly Zebot of Dana Point, Calif. before coming back to score an impressive 6-4, 6-3 victory to advance to the second round.

On a bright, sunny day on Court #1 at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, Clery Ferrell fell behind 3-0 in the first set before she rallied and won six of the next seven games to wrap up the first set.

The 55-year-old Clery Ferrell took command of the second set as she established a 5-2 lead and served for the match in the eighth game. However, Zebot broke serve and then served to stay in the match. Clery Ferrell went on to the secure a service break and close out the match.

“I started out really slow. I just started exploiting her (Zebot) backhand and started getting a little steadier and was able to string some points together and win the first set,” said Clery Ferrell, who is Club Director of the Balboa Tennis Club in San Diego.

Being the mother of a 12-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter doesn’t give Clery Ferrell much time to travel, so she enjoys the chance to play tournaments such as the USTA National Senior Women’s Hard Court Tennis Championships at the LJB&TC.

“I love San Diego and I love playing at the Beach Club. It’s so prestigious and there is so much tradition,” she said. “I savor the opportunity to play a National tournament close by.”

Clery Ferrell, a native of Chicago, will play her second-round match on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. (PDT) against third-seeded Tracy Houk of Half Moon Bay, Calif.  Houk, who received a first-round bye, reached the Women’s 50 singles final in last year’s tournament.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to continue to play here and do the best I can against the top players in my age division,” Clery Ferrell said.

Ros Nideffer, the top-seed in the Women’s 50 division, received a first-round bye and will play her opening match against unseeded Margaret Smith of Torrance, Calif. on Tuesday at 10 a.m. (PDT)

Nideffer, who lives in the San Diego community of Rancho Bernardo, played on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour from the late 1970s through late 1990s. A two-time Wimbledon singles quarterfinalist and a two-time French Open doubles champion, Nideffer achieved a career-high singles ranking of 15 in the world in 1990.

The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club’s 40^th Annual Spring Senior Championships for men are also taking place the same week in conjunction with the women’s events. Although the men’s events are not national championships, they will feature many senior players who regularly compete in national tournaments. The men’s events will include singles and doubles for 60 and over, 65 and over, 70 and over, 75 and over and 80 and over age groups. A combined total of over 300 players are participating in the men’s and women’s tournaments.

Matches are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. through Friday, May 18 and at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20. Championship finals will take place on Friday and Saturday. Consolation finals will be played on Sunday.

Expected start of play for each division:

Women Men

Tues.: 80, 90 Singles and 70 Doubles            Tues.: 65 Singles / 70 Doubles

Wed.: 80, 90 Doubles                                     Wed.: 60 Singles

Thurs.: 75, 80, 85 Singles / 75 Doubles

Admission to the week-long tournament is free and open to the public. A snack bar and dining facility will be available to spectators. On-site parking will also be available for a nominal fee. Draws will be posted at the Beach Club and will be available at following link:http://tennislink.usta.com/TOURNAMENTS/TournamentHome_New/Tournament.aspx?T=113672